Federal prosecutors question GM employees over ignition switch recall

The office of United States Attorney Preet Bharara is interviewing present and former employees at General Motors as part of a criminal investigation into the faulty ignition switch tied to at least 13 deaths, sources told Reuters.

GM has already submitted thousands of e-mails and other documents as part of its cooperation with the investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported citing sources.

GM recently dismissed 15 employees for their roles in the faulty ignition switch recall, which has been a subject of probes by states. The Journal reported that federal and state investigations are currently in their early stages, adding that prosecutors have to tell defense attorneys which personalities would be included in the probes.

Defense attorneys have told the paper that former GM engineer Raymond DeGiorgio seems to be the most exposed to possible criminal liability, according to case information known publicly to date.

DeGiorgio approved a sub-standard switch design and then signed off a change without silently after complaints from customers and other engineers at GM, according to the result of an internal probe conducted by Anton Valukas.

The report concluded that DeGiorgio also misled GM officials about changing the product, thereby impeding efforts to link the ignition switches to the accidents.

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